The Pacha of Many Tales eBook

“Well, I’ll get rid of her to-morrow;
but I can tell you, vizier, that I deserve all my
pay, for it’s rather fatiguing work—­besides,
my conscience.”

“Holy prophet! hear him—­his conscience!
go, hypocrite, drown it in wine to-night, and it will
be dead to-morrow; and don’t forget to kill your
wife.”

“Allow me to observe, that you Turks have very
little taste; nevertheless, I will get rid of her
after your own fashion, for she shall go to the bottom
of the sea—­Bashem ustun, on my head be it.”

Chapter XI

The next morning the pacha hurried over the business
of the day, for Mustapha had intimated that the renegade
considered his fifth voyage to be one of great marvels.
Selim was introduced as before, and commenced the
narrative.

FIFTH VOYAGE OF HUCKABACK.

Your highness may be surprised, that being in the
possession of wealth, rank, and my charming Cerise,
I should have again ventured upon the treacherous
ocean. Of course your highness has heard of the
revolution which took place in France, and all the
horrors which attended it.

* * * *
*

“France! Yes, I believe there is a country
of that name; I can’t say that I ever heard
of the revolution. Holy prophet! but these people
have strange ideas,” continued the pacha to
the vizier; “to imagine that we must know or
care about what is going on in their barbarous countries.
You may proceed, Huckaback.”

* * * *
*

It will be necessary to say a few words upon the subject,
your highness, but I will be as concise as possible.
One day, a party of men from my native city (Marseilles),
dressed in red caps, their shirt sleeves tucked up,
and armed with various weapons, surrounded my chateau,
insisting upon my immediately informing them whether
I was for the summoning of the estates-general.
I answered, most certainly, if they wished it.
They cheered me, and went away.

Shortly afterwards, they came to ascertain if I approved
of the national convention. I answered, that
I approved of it excessively. They were satisfied,
and again disappeared. They came a third time,
to inquire if I was a republican, to which I gave
the affirmative. A fourth, to know whether I
sided with the Girondists; I declared myself one of
that party, and hoped that I should be asked no more
questions. But before two or three months had
passed away, another party came to ascertain whether
I was a real Jacobin, which I solemnly pronounced myself
to be;—­a second time, to know whether I
thought proper to be called citizen, or have my head
cut off; I declared in favour of the former, and made
them a present of my title of marquis. But at
last they surrounded my house with loud cries, declaring
that I was an aristocrat, and insisted upon carrying
my head away upon a pike. This I considered a